Hi, I'm James
So let me give you the basics. I've lived in London for most of my life and have been a keen writer since childhood.
My debut novel Dodger followed the further adventures of Jack Dawkins from 'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens. It was published by Quercus in 2013 and two sequels followed, Dodger of the Dials and Dodger of the Revolution. During this period I also had short stories published in anthologies such as the Fiction Desk.
Ask for Mercy is my latest novel. It's a mystery thriller set in modern London which introduces a brand new detective to the crime fiction scene named Mercy Tyler. Published by Top Sawyer Books, I'm planning to write a sequel named The Untrained Eye if the first book proves popular.
In March 2024 Top Sawyer republished revised editions of my Dodger books under a new series name The Dodger Papers. A fourth volume, entitled Dodger of the Yard is also underway.
And I’m currently writing my fifth novel, a psychological thriller called Hauser and the Vultures which answers the oft-asked question - what if Patricia Highsmith wrote a novel about The Cure? It will be finished later this year.
As well as all this, I've written many scripts for several popular true crime and history podcasts for the award winning Noiser Productions, such as Scotland Yard Confidential and Detectives Don't Sleep.
Join my mailing list for more updates. A free novella called Find the Needle is available to anyone who subscribes.
Ask For Mercy
"You can discover some distressing things while investigating a person's life. His daughter is the last person I'd encourage to do it."
Mercy Tyler is London's newest private investigator. Having inherited one half of a detective agency from her father, her first case couldn't be more personal.
Who killed her dad?
Although Ray Tyler's death appears to be accidental, Mercy believes he was killed by an unseen hitman she heard him conspiring with when she was still a child. Now, determined to find out what really happened, Mercy delves into a world of tarnished PI's, vicious gangsters, cheating spouses and a mysterious assassin known only as the Long Needle.
The first in an exciting new crime series, Ask for Mercy introduces readers to a brand new detective who is more than she first appears.
Follow Mercy in her quest for truth, no matter how dark and emotionally complex it might prove to be.
PRAISE FOR ASK FOR MERCY
"Ask for Mercy was a thrilling read, and seeing Mercy shine as a detective, while navigating life and her work as a trans woman was relatable. A great read for anyone who loves crime fiction!"
Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir, co-author of ‘The Trans Survival Work Book’
"With its fiendishly twisty plot, Ask for Mercy is a gripping, rollercoaster read packed with tension, violence and intrigue but it's also emotional, witty and insightful"
Karen Cole, book blogger at Hair Past a Freckle.
‘Ask for Mercy is a gripping thriller from start to finish, with one of the best new PI’s on the block.’
Dr Luke Deckard, presenter of The Secret Circle podcast
The Dodger Papers
The Dodger Papers is the new collective name for my three-volume historical crime series, originally published by Quercus between 2013 and 2016.
Narrated by Jack Dawkins, otherwise known as the Artful Dodger from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the books follows him as he careens from one sensational misadventure to the next – from searching for hidden jewels, to being framed for murder and even getting caught up in a revolutionary uprising in Paris.
These novels have now been revised and republished by Top Sawyer Books and a fourth volume called Dodger of the Yard is in the works.
'Dickens would have loved this ... a brilliant character ... as lively and funny as the original Artful Dodger' - Conn Iggulden
Dodger
The Dodger Papers Volume 1
“A warning, Mister Dawkins. Stay out of my city. If we catch you again, as I’m sure we shall, we will hang the very breath out of you.”
People of London, guard your pockets! Jack Dawkins – otherwise known as the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens – is back on patch.
Having spent the past five years in an Australian penal colony, Victorian London’s top thief has returned with a triumphant swagger to the underworld slums of his birth, tasked with finding a hidden jewel. But danger lurks behind every street corner, the clock is ticking and the consequences of failure will be murderous.
With a killer accomplice, Dodger must track down childhood friends, old flames and uncover dark secrets if he is to find and steal the prize before the fatal deadline.
Narrated in his irreverent voice, Dodger is the first volume in The Dodger Papers, an audacious historical crime series from James Benmore, acclaimed author of Ask for Mercy.
‘The plot twists and turns brilliantly… Dodger’s world is one you can’t help but be absorbed into’ – SJI Holliday
Dodger of the Dials
The Dodger Papers Volume 2
“In the underworld of London today there is no thief more famous than the Artful Dodger, or Dodger of the Dials as he sometimes goes by”
London is changing and so is Jack Dawkins.
Now an accomplished burglar, Dodger has a new lady in his life and leads a small but profitable gang in Seven Dials. Things are on the up.
But when he receives unwelcome attention from Weeping Billy Slade, Dodger must watch his step. Slade is the deadliest man in the capital with a vicious criminal army at his command. Entering into an uneasy alliance, Dodger has to play a stake-raising game of twisted loyalties, stark betrayals and brutal murder.
Soon, with all he values stripped from him, Dodger feels the threat of the gallows looming over. He must summon every ounce of that legendary artfulness if he’s to save his own neck and retrieve what’s been stolen.
Based on the much-loved character from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, this second volume in The Dodger Papers is full of shocking surprises, thrilling incidents and a startling reunion.
‘Dodger of the Dials blows its predecessor away. Highly recommended’ – Parmenion Books.
Dodger of the Revolution
The Dodger Papers Volume 3
“We need a thief, Monsieur Dawkins. A capable one, not some delinquent oaf. Discretion, skill and intelligence are required”
The Artful Dodger in his own tale of two cities
Life as Victorian London’s top sawyer is losing its allure. Running a gang of thieves is not as easy as Fagin made it look and Jack Dawkins in danger of losing his touch. Opium-addicted and heavy-fingered, he needs a new challenge to relight his inner fire.
When some mysterious French siblings hire him for a lucrative job in Paris, our tarnished hero snatches at the chance. But what should be an easy burglary soon spirals into a chaotic and politically charged crisis as Dodger finds himself manning the barricades in defense of liberty, fraternity and larceny.
Based on the much-loved character from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, this third volume in The Dodger Papers transports Jack to a city alive with rebellion. It’s his most exciting, surprising and action-packed adventure yet.
“Tremendous fun- with an underlying theme that is deadly serious” – Crime Review
Audio Scripts
As a freelancer I've written scripts for various high profile history and true crime podcasts. Below are a selection of the shows I've had the pleasure of working on, some of which have links to Spotify.
Detectives Don't Sleep
Scotland Yard Confidential
Deathbed Confessions
History Daily
Johnny Cash Plays Folsom Prison
The Spruce Goose Takes Flight
The World Premiere of King Kong
The Christmas Truce of WW1
The Battle of Princeton
Charles Manson Found Guilty of Murder
The Murderer of JFK's assassin found Guilty
The Abolition of the British Slave Trade
The Maiden Voyage of the Great Western
The Pardon of Tokyo Rose
The Rise of Johanna Siguroardottir
The Race to the South Pole
The Japanese Plan Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
Roosevelt's Day of Infamy Speech
Bonnie & Clyde's First Robbery
Winston Churchill is Captured
Jack the Ripper's Last Victim
A Short History Of...
Real Pirates
